Twitter Updates Website Guidelines

Twitter has been in the headlines for poor handling of abuse on the platform, so to avoid these controversies, it has updated the guidelines that every user of the platform has to follow in the hope that they’ll be clearer and easier to understand. Twitter says that basic guidelines and approaches haven’t changed, it is only attempting to be more transparent and clearer in how it handles abuse on the platform. A clearer update on the same should be released by 14 November.

On Friday, Twitter disclosed a more detailed section on what it considers abusive behavior or the factors that decide whether or not to suspend an account. The guidelines also clarified that it considers sexual acts involving humans, humanoid animals and cartoons to be “adult material”, but said in some cases such content was permitted if flagged as “sensitive media”.

Twitter also mentioned that they will email people if their account is suspended with an explanation as to which policy they violated.

Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey promised, the company would take a more aggressive stance in its rules and enforcement. In response to the #WomenBoycottTwitter protest, Dorsey in the announcement said that Twitter would develop new rules for things like unwanted sexual advances, non-consensual nudity, hate symbols, violent groups, and tweets that glorifies violence.

On November 22, Twitter promises to release another version of the rules that will include new policies around “graphic violence” or “adult content.”

Twitter says “We believe in freedom of expression and open dialogue, but that means little as an underlying philosophy if voices are silenced because people are afraid to speak up.”